Electrical receptacle



Nov. 3, 1931. J HlNEs 1,830,466

ELECTRICAL RECEPTAGLE Filed April 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIJIIIIII Nov. 3, 1931. F. J. HINES ELECTRICAL RE'ICEPTACLE Filed April 25. 1931 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES FRANCIS J. HiNES, or.

PATENT,

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK ELECTRICAL REGEPTA'GLE Application filed April 25,

lighting systems and wired to the source of 1 power. These devices consist of insulating bodies provided with terminalsfor the conductors and contacts for-the reception of the plug blades, and are usually provided wlth some sort of supporting yoke or arms for mounting in an outlet box and for the support of a face plate. f

In some devices a single clampscrew 1s provided for each circuit and in others a number of binding scr'ewsare provided for each terminal to facilitate connection with extension lines and g for tapping purposes generally so as to avoid the necessity of soldering connections.

One object of my invention is to provide, means for connecting a plurality of wires toeach terminal plate and requiring only a single clamp screw for eachplate. This is accomplished by providing an extended terminal plate for each bus bar and employ-' ing clamp plates so constructed and mounted as to.prevent displacement in wiring.

Another object is to provide simple but effective means for mounting the contacts, bus bars, etc., in the insulating body.

, Another object is to provide convenient means for connecting the parts of the body together.

In the drawings I have illustrated a number of embodiments of the various features of my invention, details of which will be i understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front view of one form of receptacle embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. I Fig. 3 is a rear view, parts being broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectionalview.

Fig. 5 is aside view of the bus bar with its contacts and terminal plate.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the clamp plate.

1931. 'SeriaI'No. 532,750.

OFFICE Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail plan View of one form of contact and bus bar.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the parts of another form of construction embodying m invention.-

1g. 9 1s a transverse sectional vlew showing details of another modification.

ig. 10 is a side view showing the parts of another modification.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the bottom plate of the device of Fig. 10.

In the form of two portions, i. e.,-construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the body consists of. a molded insulation .portion 10 and a back plate 11" also of insulating material and these parts may be held together for instance two by a tubular rivet 12 as shown in Fig. 4.

The front part of the body is provided with recesses such as 13 adapted toreceive the contacts and passages 14 to receive the blades of the attachment plug. In such cases as what are known as duplex receptacles adapted to accommodate two attachment plugs, there will, of course, 'POSltG ends and be recesses such as 13 in opeach pair of recesses at one side of the longitudinal center line will be connected by a groove 15 and there will be a side recess 16 in the center of each side to accommodate the attachment of the conductor wires.

In the form shown which is a duplex receptacle I provide a bus bar 17 for each side i of the receptacle and this bus bar has a. contact 18 on each end suitably designed and constructed to accommodate one or more types of attachment plugs as is customary. The center of the" bus bar is provided with an ex tension 19 which constitutes the .main terminal plate. The bus bar is inserted and held in the groove15 with to coact with each of the contacts 18 located inthe recesses 13. Aclamp-plate 20 is designed the terminal plates and to beforced inwardly by means of a clamp screw 21. These clamp plates are loosely supported on the clamp screws so as to permit of conductor wires X, Y

the. easy insertion between the terminal plates and the clamp. 1 plates. These terminal and clamp plates are preferably flat in the center and flangedor corrugated longitudinally along the mo margins as at 22, 23 and 24 so that they interfit and are adapted to clamp the ends of the wires tightly between them on each side of each screw when the clamp the rotation of the plate 20 with respect to the plate 19.

The interlocking or interfitting of the grooves and ribs on the plates also tends to prevent the plates from rotating with respect to eachother.

I may also provide bent over corners such as 27 on the terminal platesto assist in preventing the rotation of the clamping plates. I also prefer that the side recesses 16 be so designed and shaped that the walls of the recesses embrace the ends of the clamping plates as shown at 28.

A further or other means of preventing the plate 20 from turnin is the extension :or flange of the bottom p ate 11 at 29 (Fig. 2) along the rear edge of the clamping plate like the flange 29 in Fig. 9. The front portion 10 also has its central part extended laterallyso that upper edge 30 of the recess 16 may also be brought down close to the edge of the terminalplate so as to serve as a flange of the body to assist in positioning the parts and in guiding and confining the ends of the inserted conductors.

It will be understood, of course, that the two sides of the receptacle are symmetrically arrangedand that a bus bar '31 with attached contacts similar to contact, 18 willbe provided and held, together with a clamping plate 32 and clamp screw 33 in recesses on the body. In constructions of this character'it is also desirable to provide means for mounting the receptacle in an outlet box. In the present case I have shown cars 34 forming a part of a conventional yoke which may be dpositioned with respect to the insulating bo stance by grooves 35or36 in the ends of the body. This yoke may be suitably secured'to. the body, for instance by a central member 37 "having its rear end riveted or upset back of for attachin the base of the yoke or strap and. its other end spun overat the front of the body. This also serve as a seat 38 for the usual screw 'g the faceplate (not shown) to the receptacle. 1

The central part of the bus bar'40.may be offset inwardly as-shown for instance in Fig.

7 to provide recesses with shoulders 41 to remay ceive the clamp plate 42; The set screw 43 vided with studs or projections 45 to intermay be provided with a seat 44 in the terminal plate. The terminal plate may be pro-' for in-.

lock with the clamp plate and to provideanchorage members for the ends of the conductors when more than one conductor is required. screws 21 are set up. As an additional means A bus bar 56 is provided with contact members such as 57 at opposite ends which may at 58 to accommodate tanbe split or divided dem plug blades. The central part of the bus bar is' provided with a terminal plate 59 which fits into the recessed portion 60 at the side of the body. The clamp plate 61 is secured to the terminal plate and supported by a single set screw 62 and may be positioned or prevented from rotating by shoulders 63 on the body or by turned over corners such as 64 similar to the bent over corner 27 in Figs. 2

and Hook-like lugs 65 may project into holes 66 to prevent rotation and also toafford convenientmeans for attaching the ends of additional conductors on opposite sides' oftherespectiveclamp screws if desired. The

busbar, may be turned over or flanged as at 67 to reinforce it if desired. I also prefer to provide the terminal plate and the clamp plate with longitudinal ribs or grooves 68 and 69 which assist in securely anchoring the ends of the conductors when the clamp plate is drawn into place by the screw 62.

In the form shown in Fig. 9 the insulating body is made up of the front plate 70 and the rear member-71 secured together for instance by a rivet 72. It willbe understood that the front and rear portions have recesses such as 73 to receive the usual blade contacts: The bus bar 74 which connects these contacts is provided with a terminal plate portion 75 and the clamp plate 76 and ll u clamp screw' 77. One edge of.the bus bar may be held in the groove 78 and the outer edge of the clamp plate 7 61nay be held in alignmentbyv the flange or shoulder 79 so that the clamp plate will "not be displaced when loosening the set screw and inserting the conductors,

Intheform shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the body consists of the -main portion 80 and the back plate portion 81, both formed of suitable insulating material. In this case the contact recesses 82 are located entirely within the body portion 80. The bus bar 83 and contacts are positioned in a 'manner similar to those prevlously described. The clamp plate 84'is suitably positionedin any of the ways previously described. The two parts of the body may be securedtogether for plate. These bosses or seats provide means for supporting the strap or yoke 91 independently of the means for'fastening the bottom plate 81. In this case inserts 92 in the seats 87 may extend through the supporting strap and beriveted in place in any suitable manner.

It should be understood, however, thatthis strap 91 might be fastened as shown in Fig. 4: by a central rivet or screw.

It should also be understood that the typi-\ cal end strapsor brackets might be employed in place of the U-shaped strap or yoke. I It should be understood that various features of the invention as herein shown may be employed in various combinations to suit different requirements.

It claim: 1. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having recesses for contacts and recesses for side termina1s,bus barsmounted in the body, each bus bar having plug contacts and a terminal plate in the respective recesses, an independently movable clamping plate tor clamping a number of wires against each respective terminal plate, a single clamp screw for supporting and actuating each clamping plate, said body having integral shoulders at opposite sides of the wire clamping plates for positioning the clamping plates and for preventing the escape of the ends of the wires held between the clamping plates and the terminalplates.

2. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having recesses for contacts and for side terminals, bus bars mounted in the body, each bus bar having plug contacts and a terminal plate in the respective recesses. independently movable wire-clamping plates coacting with the respective terminal plates, and a single clamp screw for actuating each clamping plate, one of said plates having a wire anchorage member projecting into its companion plate.

3. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body, contacts mounted in said body and having external circuit terminals, said body being open at the rear to receive said contacts and terminals and having bosses of restricted area projecting from the rear at opposite ends, a back plate of insulation having cut-out portions to allow for said projecting bosses, means for securing said back plate to the body independently of the bosses, and supporting means for the body secured to said projecting bosses independently of said back plate,

4. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having recesses, contacts mounted in said recesses and each having a circuit terminal, a back plate covering said recesses and said contacts, a tubular rivet connecting said back late to said body, a supporting yoke extending around the back plates and the ends of said body and an anchorage member extending through said tubular member for securing said yoke to said body and having at the front-a seat for a screw for attaching a face plate.

5. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body formed of two parts, one part having recesses for plug receiving contacts'and having passages for the introduction of plug blades into said recesses. two

bus bars mounted in opposite sides of the body, each bus bar having a contact located in one of the recesses and each bus bar having a circuit terminal plate arranged at one side of the receptacle, a wire clamping plate coacting with each bus bar terminal plate, and'a single screw for drawing each clamping plate against its companion terminal plate, one of said insulating body parts having an integral shoulder alongside of each clamping plate to prevent the clamping plates from turning with the screws, each terminal plate and its-companion clamping plate being adapted to hold a plurality of wires. v r

6. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having recesses for contacts andfor side terminals, bus'bars mounted in the body, each bus bar having plug contacts and a terminal plate in the respective recesses, independently movable wire-clamping plates coacting with the respective terminal plates, at single clamp screw for actuating each clamping plate, said terminal plates and the coacting clamping plates having portions integral therewith on opposite sides of the respective clamp screws for holding a wire on each side of each clamp screw, and means for preventing the turning of the clamping plates when the clamp screws are rotated, each bus bar being provided with a reinforcing flange coacting with an edge of the coacting clamp ing plate.

7. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having recesses for contacts and for side terminals, bus bars mounted in the body, each bus bar having plug contacts and a-terminal plate in the respective recesses, independently movable wire-clamp ing plates coacting with the respective teratmg each'clamping plate, and means for preventing the turning of the clamping plates when the clamp screws are rotated, and at least one anchorage lug interlocking each terminal plate with its companion clamping plate to limit rotation of the clamping plate' minal plates, a single, clamp screw for actu- 8. An electrical receptacle comprising an MG insulating body having recesses in opposite passages for the ving plate loosely sides and two recesses in each end and having insertion of plug-blades into the end recesses, bus bars having contacts located in the endrecesses and'terminal plates in the respective side recesses, said terminal I on the terminal plates and the corresponding grooves on the clamping plates may be securely clamped between the terminal and clamping plates by tightening the clamping screw.

9. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body formed of two portions with contact recesses between the portions and passages through one portion leading to said, recessesfor reception of attachment plug blades, bus bars held between the two portions of the body and'having contacts in said recesses and having terminal plates at the sides of the body, a clamping screw passing through each plate, and a clamping plateloosely mounted on eachscrew, one of the parts of the body having an integral flange on each side each flange projecting over the edge of the clamping plate adjacent thereto to prevent the respective plates from turning and to confine the ends of wires clamped between the clamping plates and-the terminal plates.

10. An electrical receptacle comprising an insulating body having two recesses in each end and passages leading from the front into said recesses, two bus bars, each bus bar having contacts on its opposite ends located in respective end recesses and each bus bar having a terminal plate portion intermediate the contacts of said bar, a clamping screw passing through each plate, a clamping plate loosely supported on each screw and adapted to be spaced away from the associated terminal plate to receive anumber of wires between the terminal plate and the'respective clamping plate, each terminal plate and its coacting clamping plate having integral parts on opposite sides of its clamping screw for holding a wire on each side of said screw,

screw passing throu tween the marginal ri s, and a clamping plate having a flat portion loosely supported on said screw and having ribbed edges coacting with the marginal ribs of the bus bar plate.

12. Asan article of manufacture, a combined bus bar and contact member for an electrical receptacle comprising a main bar having a central terminal plate with outwardly projecting lugs, a clamping screwpassing through said terminal plate between said lugs, and a clamping plate loosely suph the flat portion bel ported on said screw and having recesses into which said lugs proj ect to provide anchorages for c nductor wires between said plates.

FRANCIS HINES.

said terminal plates and clamping plates hav- 0 DISCLAIM ER" 1;830,466.Frahcs J. Hine, Brooklyn, N. Y. ELEcTRIeA'L REC-EPTACLE.

Patent dated November 3, 1931. Disclaimer fiIe'd Au gu st 26, 1936, by the assignee,

Hines Electm'cdl Specialties, Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 10 of said Letters Patent. [Qfi'ic'ial' Gazette September-22, 1936;] 

